Chauvin to host free Thanksgiving feast

Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 6:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 6:27 p.m.

A free Thanksgiving feast that grew from a devastating hurricane more than 25 years ago will be held again Thursday in Chauvin.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ward 7 Citizens Club, 5006 La. 56.

Anyone can attend the dinner.

Volunteers prepare 26 turkeys, 14 hams and 75 pounds of rice dressing mix to serve to anyone who wants a home-cooked meal. There will also be cornbread, yams, cranberry sauce, peas, French bread, pies, cakes and soft drinks. Food and other items come from anonymous donors from around the area.

Parish Council Vice Chairman Pete Lambert, who has been the main sponsor of the event for about 14 years, said the feast has been a long-standing tradition that began in 1985 during the aftermath of Hurricane Juan.

Lambert said Juan, which occurred in late October and looped twice around the coast, was the worst hurricane Louisiana had since hurricanes Hilda in 1955 and Betsy in 1956.

“People were just trying to get back to normal,” Lambert said. “They didn’t have electricity, and there was so much destruction.”

Former Terrebonne Parish President Bobby Bergeron decided that one way to help people get back on their feet was to organize a free sit-down meal for them, Lambert said. And the tradition has continued.

“It’s a thing we like to do now to be thankful after hurricane season,” Lambert said. “Even though we had a hurricane this year, we spared substantial damage.”

Lambert said “expert” cooks and volunteers from all over help with the event.

“It’s a real super dinner,” he said. “But it takes a lot of hardworking volunteers to make this happen.”

The event’s head cook, May Smith, 56, from Schriever, said it also takes a good deal of preparation.

All the food comes from the Piggly Wiggly in Chauvin, Smith said. It’s then cooked the day before to be reheated the day of.

Smith said this is her fourth year as head cook, and she could not do it alone.

For instance, Pizza Express lets Smith use its pizza ovens to cook the hams, she said.

Smith said although the feast takes a lot of work, she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“I do this to help my friends and family, and everyone in the community,” she said. “If you’ve been through a hurricane, you know how good it is to sit down and have a good meal that somebody cooked for you, and getting together with all kinds of different people who can share their experience.”

<p>A free Thanksgiving feast that grew from a devastating hurricane more than 25 years ago will be held again Thursday in Chauvin. </p><p>The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ward 7 Citizens Club, 5006 La. 56.</p><p>Anyone can attend the dinner.</p><p>Volunteers prepare 26 turkeys, 14 hams and 75 pounds of rice dressing mix to serve to anyone who wants a home-cooked meal. There will also be cornbread, yams, cranberry sauce, peas, French bread, pies, cakes and soft drinks. Food and other items come from anonymous donors from around the area.</p><p>Parish Council Vice Chairman Pete Lambert, who has been the main sponsor of the event for about 14 years, said the feast has been a long-standing tradition that began in 1985 during the aftermath of Hurricane Juan.</p><p>Lambert said Juan, which occurred in late October and looped twice around the coast, was the worst hurricane Louisiana had since hurricanes Hilda in 1955 and Betsy in 1956. </p><p>“People were just trying to get back to normal,” Lambert said. “They didn't have electricity, and there was so much destruction.”</p><p>Former Terrebonne Parish President Bobby Bergeron decided that one way to help people get back on their feet was to organize a free sit-down meal for them, Lambert said. And the tradition has continued. </p><p>“It's a thing we like to do now to be thankful after hurricane season,” Lambert said. “Even though we had a hurricane this year, we spared substantial damage.” </p><p>Lambert said “expert” cooks and volunteers from all over help with the event. </p><p>“It's a real super dinner,” he said. “But it takes a lot of hardworking volunteers to make this happen.” </p><p>The event's head cook, May Smith, 56, from Schriever, said it also takes a good deal of preparation. </p><p>All the food comes from the Piggly Wiggly in Chauvin, Smith said. It's then cooked the day before to be reheated the day of.</p><p>Smith said this is her fourth year as head cook, and she could not do it alone.</p><p>For instance, Pizza Express lets Smith use its pizza ovens to cook the hams, she said.</p><p>Smith said although the feast takes a lot of work, she wouldn't trade it for anything.</p><p>“I do this to help my friends and family, and everyone in the community,” she said. “If you've been through a hurricane, you know how good it is to sit down and have a good meal that somebody cooked for you, and getting together with all kinds of different people who can share their experience.”</p>